First contract for Astra 31.5°E

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SES Astra has signed a two-transponder deal with KabelDienstLeistungsgesellschaft (KDL) for two transponders at its new 31.5 degrees East orbital position.

The signal will feed a package of 22 free-to-air channels to operators through a process called TOPP (Transponder optimised programme packages). KDL was established with the intention of marketing packages to independent operators in Germany. Its Astra package includes the offer of distributing digital TV receivers to connected cable households.

Heinz-Peter Labonte, Managing Director of the Federal German Association of Private and Independent Cable Operators (FRK) said it was important for the independent operators to be able to have their own offer: “The FRK initiated and supported TOPP because it wanted to offer to the private and independent cable operators who have their own headends a solution to provide digital free-to-air programs to their

customers, independently from the large regional cable operators such as KDG, Unity Media, KBW or Orion.”
TOPP will be officially launched ay the FRK cable congress in Leipzig this October.

Source: BraodbandTVNews